Emmys 2025: Outstanding Comedy Series — Our Dream Nominees!

FYC season is in full swing and you know what that means: The perpetual debate over whether awards darling The Bear is a comedy or a drama has been revived anew.

Academy voters appeared to have taken something of a stand at last year's Emmys when they denied Hulu's restaurant-set series a second consecutive Outstanding Comedy Series win, awarding Max's more conventionally funny Hacks the top prize instead.

The Bear and Hacks will no doubt be back in the running this year when nominations are announced next month. When it comes to our Dream Emmy short list, however, only one of the two shows made the cut this time around...

Scroll down to check out all of our Dream Nominees (remember, these aren't predictions; they're wish lists) and then tell us if our picks warrant a "Hell, yes!," "Um, no" or "How could you leave off such-and-such?!"

For the record, 2025 Emmy nominations will be voted on from June 12-23, and unveiled on July 15. The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony is scheduled to air on Sunday, Sept. 14, on CBS.

Scroll down for links to our previous Dream Emmy categories:

Outstanding Drama Series — Our Dream Nominees
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series — Our Dream Nominees
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series — Our Dream Nominees
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series — Our Dream Nominees
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series — Our Dream Nominees

WHY IT DESERVES A NOD: It's easy to take ABC's reliable schoolhouse comedy for granted, since it's been consistently churning out laughs for four seasons now. But it showed no signs of slowing down in Season 4, with Janine and Gregory developing into TV's cutest couple and the school hosting a chaotic visit from the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia gang. By serving up hilarious moments (karaoke night!) and genuine surprises (Ava got fired?!), Abbott still earns a place on our personal honor roll. — Dave Nemetz

WHY IT DESERVES A NOD: We'd stand up and bark... er, cheer if this unsung Australian gem made its way into the Emmys mix. A throwback rom-com with pleasurably low stakes, Colin follows mismatched lovebirds Gordon and Ashley as they take care of a cute dog and navigate a bumpy romance. Season 2 got even better, too, dipping its toe into more emotional material while still delivering big laughs. Plus, stars/co-creators Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer are married in real life, and their easy chemistry and snappy banter positively shines on screen. — D.N.

WHY IT DESERVES A NOD: Deborah and Ava's contentious relationship hit rock bottom in Season 4, giving leads Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder another shot to shine their brightest. Having Deborah achieve her goal of hosting a late-night show gave the series plenty of drama to wade through, yet when the ladies finally found common ground, it felt hard-earned, emotional and, most importantly, real. But even as the show's central relationship grew increasingly war-torn, Paul W. Downs and Megan Stalter were on deck to alleviate the tension with ridiculous antics and over-the-top one-liners. — Nick Caruso

WHY IT DESERVES A NOD: Delivering a romantic comedy that feels effortless and charming is no easy task, but the winning Netflix series about a hot rabbi and an agnostic podcaster who fall in love did just that. With genuine warmth, hilariously quotable dialogue and undeniable chemistry between leads Kristen Bell and Adam Brody, Nobody Wants This made us believe not only in love, but in the rom-com genre's ability to still hit that swoon-worthy spot. — Vlada Gelman

WHY IT DESERVES A NOD: Overcompensating knows how to commit to the bit: Hailee's fingernail puffs, Trent constantly announcing he needs a bathroom, and the sheer volume of "no homos" and "yees" are just a few examples. But the show isn't just laugh-out-loud funny. Benito Skinner and Wally Baram — who play Benny and Carmen, two college freshmen wading the waters of a budding friendship — masterfully puncture the show's absurd veneer with coming-of-age realness at just the right times. Backed by its outstanding Episode 5 (when Carmen pieces together that Benny's gay) and Episode 7 (featuring a moving rendition of "Welcome to the Black Parade"), Overcompensating has emerged as one of the most memorable comedies of the year. — Claire Franken

WHY IT DESERVES A NOD: The Apple TV+ comedy once again balanced gut-wrenching trauma with a beating heart, serving up some of this year's best performances while exploring the power of forgiveness. Harrison Ford and Jason Segel continued their dynamic back-and-forth, while the addition of series co-creator Brett Goldstein as the drunk driver who killed Tia raised the series' emotional stakes more than ever. But along with its tough moments came mounds of sharp comedic timing and laughs, exemplifying the reality and honesty behind life's many ebbs and flows. — N.C.

WHY IT DESERVES A NOD: Much like series co-creator Justin Spitzer's previous projects like Superstore and American Auto, St. Denis Medical has found the elusive balance between wacky workplace antics and moments of genuine, relatable warmth, both elevated by a stacked comedic ensemble. The mockumentary-style NBC series — chronicling the day-to-day happenings at an underfunded Oregon hospital — elicited consistent laughs from us all season long, while never losing sight of the humanity within St. Denis' doctors and patients alike. — Rebecca Luther

WHY IT DESERVES A NOD: Seth Rogen brought his A-game as a movie studio head trying to balance corporate demands with his own personal artistic goals. Fusing elements of bangers like Curb Your Enthusiasm, Veep and The Larry Sanders Show, the series' satire of Hollywood felt like a peek behind the curtain as Rogen's character and his ragtag crew attempted to keep the studio's projects from flying off the rails. Add in a must-see showing from Bryan Cranston and fabulous guest-starring spots (Zoë Kravitz, Ron Howard, Steve Buscemi and more), and you've got one of the year's wackiest comedies that was never afraid to revel in chaos and cringe. — N.C.